Bear costume used in alleged insurance fraud scheme: Officials

Nov 14, 2024

Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Brock Koller (Senior Producer), Emma Stoltzfus (Video Editor)

Four California residents allegedly used a bear costume to defraud insurance companies out tens of thousands of dollars, according to the state’s Department of Insurance (CDI) Thursday, Nov. 14. Investigators said they discovered the scheme by analyzing video evidence sent the insurance company by the suspects.

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The suspects claimed on Jan. 28 a bear entered their 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost in Lake Arrowhead and caused interior damage. To help their case, they provided the video, but the insurance company had its doubts and suspected fraud.

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CDI launched Operation Bear Claw. Detectives looked into the case and determined it was all part of a bear costume insurance fraud scheme.

The department discovered two additional insurance claims to two other insurance companies by the same suspects on the same day. Those supposed bear break-ins involved a 2015 and 2022 Mercedes and video was provided of those incidents as well.

To make sure they were on the right track, detectives enlisted the help of a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to review the three bear videos. The biologist concluded the culprit was not an actual bear but a human in a bear costume.

Detectives executed a search warrant in the suspects’ home and located a bear costume.

The four suspects were identified as Ruben Tamrazian, 26, of Glendale, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, of Glendale, Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, of Glendale and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, of Valley Village. In all, officials said they defrauded the insurance companies of $141,839.

All four suspects are charged with insurance fraud and conspiracy.

Tags: California, cars, Fraud, grizzly bears

[Craig]

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEO —
THIS IS EVIDENCE FOUR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS USED TO SHOW AN INSURANCE COMPANY THAT THEIR CAR HAD BEEN BROKEN INTO — BY A BEAR.

BUT INVESTIGATORS WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE SAY IF YOU TAKE A “CLOSER” LOOK

– YOU’LL REALIZE IT WAS NOT A BEAR AT ALL – BUT A PERSON IN A BEAR COSTUME.

THE SUSPECTS CLAIMED ON JANUARY 28TH A BEAR ENTERED THEIR 20-10 ROLLS ROYCE GHOST IN LAKE ARROWHEAD AND CAUSED INTERIOR DAMAGE.

TO HELP THEIR CASE – THEY PROVIDED VIDEO –– BUT THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAD ITS DOUBTS – SUSPECTING FRAUD.

CDI LAUNCHED OPERATION BEAR CLAW — DETECTIVES LOOKED INTO THE CASE AND DETERMINED IT WAS ALL PART OF A BEAR COSTUME INSURANCE FRAUD SCHEME.

THE DEPARTMENT ALSO DISCOVERED TWO ADDITIONAL INSURANCE CLAIMS TO TWO OTHER INSURANCE COMPANIES – BY THE SAME SUSPECTS – ON THE SAME DAY.

THOSE SUPPOSED BEAR BREAK-INS INVOLVED A 20-15 AND 20-22 MERCEDES – AND VIDEO WAS PROVIDED OF THOSE INCIDENTS AS WELL.

TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE ON THE TRACK, DETECTIVES ENLISTED THE HELP OF A BIOLOGIST FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE TO REVIEW THE THREE BEAR VIDEOS – THE BIOLOGIST CONCLUDED THE CULPRIT WAS INDEED NOT AN ACTUAL BEAR BUT A HUMAN IN A BEAR COSTUME.

DETECTIVES EXECUTED A SEARCH WARRANT IN THE SUSPECTS’ HOME AND LOCATED A BEAR COSTUME.

IN ALL – OFFICIALS SAY THE FOUR SUSPECTS — RANGING IN AGE FROM 26 TO 39 — DEFRAUDED THE INSURANCE COMPANIES OF OVER 141 THOUSAND DOLLARS.

ALL FOUR SUSPECTS WERE CHARGED WITH INSURANCE FRAUD AND CONSPIRACY.

AND NOW INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE REASON TO “PAWS” NEXT TIME THEY SEE A CLAIM WITH A VIDEO OF A TRESPASSING BEAR.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI.

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